Sharing Wisdom
by Medie
Summary: Grissom has a talk with a very *old* friend about his feelings for Sara. (Highlander crossover. GUA fic)


Title: Sharing Wisdom  
  
Author: Medie  
  
Archive: Sure! If you want it.  
  
Feedback: Yes please! *G* medison@thezone.net  
  
Category: Crossover (Highlander), G/S UA  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own any of 'em except Dee who gets a mention.  
  
Summary: Grissom gets some advice from a *VERY* old friend.   
  
Note: Unbeta'd. Just a little something I came up with one day while   
watching Deliverance (HL ep) and realizing Sean Burns would make a   
good friend for Grissom.  
  
This is AU as far as Highlander goes in that Sean's ill-timed death in   
Deliverance *never happened*. His head's still firmly connected to the  
rest of him.   
  
Sharing Wisdom  
by M.  
-----------  
  
"May I say something Gil?" Sean Burns looked across the table at his   
friend. "As a friend, not as a psychiatrist."  
  
Grissom nodded. "Of course."  
  
"You clearly care for Sara," The red-haired Immortal picked up his   
teacup. "Yet refuse to do something about it."  
  
The mortal before him hesitated. "It's not that simple."  
  
"Isn't it?" Sean smiled. "Perhaps not from where you sit." He allowed   
as his eyes danced with something akin to mischief. "Allow an old man   
to ruminate."   
  
"You're hardly old." Grissom pointed out, quickly adding. "Compared   
to some of your kind."  
  
"Compared to my wife you mean?" The Englishman pointed out with a   
chuckle. "True. But I am a good deal older than you, and I have   
learned something. Life, especially when it is as brief as a   
mortal's, is precious and to be experienced fully."   
  
"I have a good life." His mortal friend argued automatically before   
looking away. It never failed to unnerve him to see that look in   
Sean's eyes. Most of the time it was easy to forget the other man was   
Immortal but then he would do or say something and that *look* would   
appear in his eyes. The brief glimpse at a life lived far beyond that   
of most. Beyond the point any human being had a right to exist.   
Beyond the limits of mortality. That look brought with it a reminder   
of all the experiences and wisdom that came with such advanced age.   
It reminded him of just how old his friend was.   
  
"So you do." Sean agreed with a nod. "So you do. But, may I ask you   
something?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"You have a very challenging job, good friends, and a collection of   
books which, if I remember correctly, largely belong to me." They   
shared a chuckle at that but the Immortal quickly grew serious again.   
"But beyond that?"  
  
"Beyond that?"  
  
"Who are you outside of that? What waits for you at home besides a   
pile of books and your collections?" Sean's eyes were concerned. "In   
my many years, Gil, what I have seen and understood is that there   
should be more to life than what we do and who we know. At the end of   
life, it isn't about any of that, just who you've loved. It's all   
that matters truly."  
  
It was futile to argue with the Immortal but he tried anyway. "And   
what about finding justice those who can't speak for themselves? What   
about that?"  
  
"It's a fine contribution to make." The other man agreed with a nod.   
"And one I'm sure means everything to the victims and families you've   
helped but what about you?" He pressed, leaning forward. "Is it   
comfort enough on the darkest of nights when the world seems to have   
abandoned you? Will it be enough when you lay upon your deathbed,   
looking the creator in the face, will it be enough then?"   
  
Grissom lowered his gaze, contemplating Sean's words. One thing his   
friend had always been, was a great counselor, his advice and   
opinions were highly valued in any and all situations. But this one,   
this one was complicated. This was Sara. "It's not that simple." He   
said finally, repeating his earlier words. "It just isn't."  
  
"I think you would be surprised by just how easy it can be." His   
friend returned with a smile. "Dee and I are Immortals, Gil, we have   
in our marriage a complication that most couples cannot begin to   
understand."  
  
"The Game."  
  
At Grissom's reply, Sean shook his head. "Immortality. Men and women   
aren't meant to live forever, a mortal lifespan is all humanity is   
expected to have. Yet, both she and I have well surpassed that short   
span of years." Setting down his tea, the psychiatrist continued.   
"She and I have been married for well more than three centuries and I   
can well assure you, we have had to work very hard at maintaining our   
union for that length of time. Love is the easy part. The difficulty   
lies in tending to it and watching over it. If one is lax in that   
duty," He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "Well, you've but to look   
at the divorce statistics to see the result." A chuckle punctuated   
his sentence. "Or pick up the latest magazine detailing the ins and   
outs of Hollywood romances."  
  
He let things fall silent between them for a long moment then added.   
"Ask yourself this, Gil, can you live the rest of your life without   
her? Without her knowing how you feel?"  
  
It was a heavy question and one that the mortal took his time in   
answering. "I could."  
  
Sean nodded then, with a discerning gaze, asked. "Can you live the   
rest of your life watching her with someone else? Love someone else?   
All the while feeling the way you feel and knowing you can never   
express it to her? Can you live so lonely an existence?"  
  
The Immortal glanced at his watch. "Goodness, Dee's going to be   
livid. We're having dinner with an old friend tonight and if I don't   
get moving, I'll be late." Reaching into his wallet, he extracted   
money and tossed it on the table. "My treat."   
  
Standing, he rested a hand on his friend's shoulder, said nothing,   
then walked away.  
  
In his wake, Sean left a brooding Grissom.  
  
He'd asked himself the question that had been posed and the image   
that his mind presented in response, it made his heart ache.   
  
"No," he answered finally, even though his friend was long out of   
earshot. "I can't."   
  
Finis 


End file.
